Summary:
Underwood Public School District is a small rural Minnesota district serving about 554 reported students across just two schools — Underwood Elementary (PK–6, enrollment 282) and Underwood Secondary (grades 5–12, enrollment 272), which covers both middle and high school grades. The district ranks 278 of 458 in Minnesota, at the 39th percentile with a 2-star rating.
Both schools are now rated 2 stars, and both have slipped in the rankings over the past two years. Underwood Elementary fell from the 62nd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 36th percentile in 2025–2026, while Underwood Secondary dropped from the 73rd percentile with 4 stars down to the 46th percentile with 2 stars. The two schools have different strengths: the elementary school shines in early grades, with 3rd grade math at 69.0% versus the state's 57.9% and 3rd grade reading at 57.1% versus 46.8%. But its upper grades lag badly — 5th grade math is 17.6% versus 41.9% statewide, and 4th grade reading is 27.5% versus 48.8%. The secondary school stands out for completion: a 90.9% graduation rate, 6.0 points above the state, and a 3.6% dropout rate, below the state's 4.2%. Its brightest academic spot is 7th grade reading at 47.7% versus 43.5% statewide.
Across the district, science is the clearest weakness — elementary science is 14.7% against the state's 25.5%, and 8th grade science is 10.3% versus 16.7%. Math is uneven, with strong 3rd grade results but 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades all well below state. Reading has bright spots in 3rd and 7th grades but falls short in 4th and 10th. Most concerning, the district's year-over-year declines are far larger than the state's: from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026, district math fell 10.06 points and reading fell 8.9 points, while state math dipped only 0.31 points. Parents should note the elementary school has a higher free/reduced lunch rate (36.52%) but a lower student-teacher ratio (12.1) than the secondary school (30.51% and 14.5).
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